The Gameplay
The gameplay is by no means impressive by today's standards but at the time I thought it was a boost compared to GTA 3. The graphics in itself are not that different, you still got clubby hands and flat faces but the visuals seemed more spectacular to me. The mechanics have now turned into "Classic" GTA and are very alike to GTA 3. The mechanics are off course working great and the steering of vehicles works incredibly well and have done ever since. This is not the point where it sets itself clearly apart from other sandbox games but it's a great foundation to start with.
The Setting
Never has a game hit the theme or setting so well and so capturing. the whole game oozes 80's, Miami Vice and Scarface. From the cars to Tommy Vercetti you can't help but to fall in love with this games take on the 80's and it's crimes. The fact that you start of with a light blue palm printed shirt and with your trusty Tech 9 by your site you set to raise havoc in your Lamborghini Countach inspired Cheetah. You walk into Ammu-nation to by yourself a new Ruger-mini so you can fend of the Voodoo Gang near little Hawana. Bikers drive around the two islands and while your butchering guys in speedos on the beach Lance Vance "Dance" is looking cool in his white and purple suit. The fact that you get references to the best movie ever Scarface only adds to the scene. The mansion you get when you kill Mr. Diaz holds a office which is almost a copy of Tony Montana's stronghold and it fits in perfectly. Boats are bigger, cars are louder and more stylish and guns are plentier and more exotic then ever. Drugs, money, women and guns are constant factors and Vice city even grants you the chance of riding a tank. The script and story is working great together and really handles the drug centered crime scene spotless. Tommy Vercetti is a great character and he is backed up by great supporting characters like Ken Rosenberg and Mitch Baker. But none of this would have worked if not for one thing.
The Soundtrack
Vice City has the best soundtrack ever fitted to anything EVER. Not before or after has a soundtrack embraced a game, a movie or whatever so perfectly. Eventhough San Andreas had a great soundtrack and feel, Vice City is just a class above everything els. Vice City taught me about great music and V-Rock was just what I needed in my early teens. you got some of the greatest songs ever written on the 7 radio stations that played music. Radio Espandoso was not my cup of tee but Emotion 98.3, Flash FM and V-rock were and sometimes I would turn the game on just to listen to Lazlow getting into trouble. You got: Toto, Bryan Adams, Twisted Sister, Slayer, Ozzy Osbourne, Loverboy, The Outfield, Yes, Megadeth, Michael Jackson, INXS, Mötley Crüe, Quiet Riot, Judas Priest, David Lee Roth, Nena, Blondie, Iron Maiden and so much more. It was on big highlight reel over what the good side of 80's music was. Ad to that Lovefist. Rockstar made up a band and fitted them into the story line along with two songs on V-Rock and it's hilarious. The songs are not even bad they're okay 80's rock song. That ads another dimension to it. Songs you don't know from a band that doesn't exist is cool as hell, an particularly when the music is kicking ass. A part of the soundtrack which is really going unnoticed is the intro song. The small one minute jam of different synths, bongo drums, guitar and horns has the potential to become an insane 80's inspired solo platform whit almost no boundaries.That one minute before the game even starts sums up what you're about to embark in. The best video game ever developed. The voice acting is spot on and the dialog is incredible as always in GTA games.
This is why I think Grand Theft Auto: Vice City is the best game ever!
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